Estra-2, 5(10)-diene-3-enoltetrahydropyranylethers



United States Patent ()fifice 3,313,808 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 2 Claims. lei. 260239.55)

The present invention relates to new 3-tetrahydropyranyl enol ethers of steroid compounds of the formula wherein R is CECH or CH=CH to a method of preparing them and to novel compounds which are intermediates produced in the course of this method.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 220,536, filed Aug. 30, 1962, and now abandoned.

The compounds'represented by the structural formula have been found to have very high progestational activity when administered orally and also they serve as valuable intermediates for the production of l7u-vinyl-estra- (10) en 175 ol 3 one, a compound described in U.S. Pat. 3,062,713.

In the method of present invention the following are used as starting materials: 3 (2' tetrahydropyranyloxy) estra l,3,5(l0) trien 17 one, which is described in patent application Ser. No. 150,665 filed Nov. 7, 1961, now U.S. Patent No. 3,243,432, and 3-(2'-tetrahydropyranyloxy) estra 1,3,5 trien 17B 01, which is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,134,771.

When these compounds undergo Birchs reaction with lithium, sodium and potassium, in liquid ammonia and an alcohol such as ethyl or tertiary butyl alcohol, they yield 3 (2' tetrahydropyranyloxy) estra 2,5(10) diene- 175-01. When this compound is oxidized in a nitrogen atmosphere with aluminum isopropoxide and cyclohexanone according to Oppenauer, it yields 3 (2' tetrahydropyranyloxy) 2,5(10) diene 17 one. An ethinylation carried out with potassium tert-amyloxide (or potassium tert-butoxide) and acetylene leads to 3-(2- tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17oz ethinyl estra 2,5(10)- diene-17 8-ol.

Reduction in pyridine, with palladium on calciumcarbonate as a catalyst, leads to 3-(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17oz vinyl estra 2,5(10) diene 17 3 01.

The hydrolysis of either 3 (2' tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17oz ethinyl estra 2,5(10) dien 17/8 01 or 3 (2' tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17a vinyl estra- 2,5(l0)-dien-17,B-ol with oxalic acid in alcohol leads to the corresponding 3-one, both of which are known compounds.

The following examples are meant only for purposes of illustration and are in no way to be construed as limiting this invention.

Example 1.3-(2-tetrahydr0pyranyloxy -estra- 2,5(10)-diene-17fl-0l A solution of 20 parts of 3-(2-tetrahy-dropyranyloxy)- estra l,3,5(l0) trien 17B 01 in a mixtuure of 250 parts of tetrahydrofuran and 250 parts of tert-butanol is cooled to a temperature of 10 C. and added with stirring to 700 parts of liquid ammonia.

27.6 parts of metallic sodium are added with stirring to the solution, the addition being accomplished Within 30 minutes and stirring being continued until decolorization is complete.

40 parts of anhydrous methanol are then cautiously added and the ammonia is evaporated ofl? under a flow of nitrogen. After diluting with 250 cc. of water, the tetrahydrofuran is removed by vacuum-distillation (6O mm./Hg), another 350 cc. of water are added and the mixture is filtered. The yield is 19.2 parts of 3-(2-- tetrahydropyranyloxy) estra 2,5(10) dien 17/3 01, having M.P. -117 C., and [a] =+59 in ethanol.

Exam pie 2 .-3- (2 '-te trahy dropy rany loxy -estra- 2,5(10)-diert-1 7 -01 A- solution of 9.35 parts of 3-(2'-tetrahydropyranyloxy) estra l,3,5(l0) trien 17 one in a mixture of parts of tetrahydrofuran and 125 parts of tert-butanol is cooled to a temperature of --10 C. and added with stirring to 500 parts of liquid ammonia. 1.25 parts of lithium are added to the solution, this addition being accomplished within 15 minutes and another 4 parts of the same metal are added over a period of 3 hours. When decolorization is complete, 20 parts of absolute ethanol are added, the ammonia is evaporated off under the action of a flow of nitrogen, and the mixture is diluted with 125 parts of water. The tetrahydrofuran is distilled off under vacuum, another 125 parts of water are added and the crude product (9.05 parts) is collooted by filtration. It has M.P 106l09 C., but through recrystallization from sulfuric ether 8.82 parts of 3 (2 tetrahydropyranyloxy) estra 2,5(10)- dien 17;? 01 are recovered, and the recrystallized product has M.P. 1l6-118 C., and [a] =+59 in ethanol.

Example 3 .3 (2 -tetrahydr0pyranyl0xy -eslra- 2,5 (10) -dien-17fl-ol 1000 parts of liquid ammonia are added to a solution of 20 parts of 3 (2-tetrahydropyranyloxy)-estra-1,3,5 (l0)-trien-l7fl-ol in 500 parts of anhydrous ether and then, with vigorous stirring, 20 parts of lithium were added, this addition being accomplished within about 20 minutes. After stirring for 30 minutes, the dark blue solution is decolorized with 210 parts of absolute ethanol, which is added dropwise over a period of 20 minutes, the solvent being thereafter evaporated under the action of a flow of nitrogen. 800 parts of water are cautiously added to the solution, the organic phase is separated and the aqueous phase is reextracted with 200 parts of an etherbenzene 1:1 mixture. The combined ether-benzene extracts are washed with water, rendered anhydrous and vacuum-evaporated to dryness. After recrystallization from sulfuric ether, 16.8 parts of 3- (2'-tetrahydropyranloxy)-estra 2,5(10)dien-17,6-ol are obtained: the product has M.P. 116-118C. and [a] =|-59.5 in ethanol.

Example 4 .-3- (2 -tetrahydr0pyranyl0xy -estra- 2,5 (10 -dien-17,B-0l

A solution of 4.70 parts of 3 (2'-tetrahydropyranyloxy)-estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-one in a mixture of 60 parts of tetrahydrofuran and 60 parts of tert-butanol is cooled to a temperature of 10 C. and added with stirring to 300 parts of liquid ammonia. 3 parts of potassium are added over a period of 30 minutes, and subsequently another 11.5 parts of the same metal are added over a period of 4 hours. When decolorization is complete, 10 parts of absolute ethanol are added, the ammonia is evaporated under a flow of nitrogen, and the mixture is diluted with 70 cc. of water. The tetrahydrofuran is then removed 3 under vacuum (60 i'nmJl-Ig). Another 100 parts of water are added, the crude product is collected by filtration,- vaci1um dried and recrystallized from sulfuric ether. Yieldi 3.25 parts of 3-(2-tetrahydropyrariyloxy)-estra-2, 5(10)-dien-17,6-o1, having M.P. 115-1 17 C.- and [otj =+58.5 in ethanol.

Example 5 .3 (2 'te trahydropyra ny loxy -estra- 2,5 -dien-1 7-0ne Operating under a flow of nitrogen, 60 parts of the solvent are distilled from a solution of 12 parts of 3-(2- tetrahydropyranyloxy)-estra 2,5 (10)-dien 175-01 in 420 parts of toluene and 33 parts of cyclohexanone, this rendering the solution anhydrous. A solution of 12 parts of aluminum isopropoxide in 70 parts of toluene is then added dropwise, this addition being accomplished over a period of minutes. After refluxing under a flow of nitrogen for 2 hours, a decomposition is brought about by the cautious, dropwise addition of a solution of 60 parts of sodium-potassium tartrate in 84 parts of water, this addition being accomplished over a period of 10 minutes.

The aqueous layer is then discarded, the organic layer is washed with 150 parts of water, and most of the solvent is thereafter driven off by distillation under a fiow of nitrogen, followed by steam-distillation. The crude product is collected by filtration and recrystallized from acetone and 9.5 parts of 3-(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy)-estra- 2,5(10)-dien-17-one are thus obtained. It has M.P. 167- 170 C. and [a] :+206 in chloroform.

Example 6 .3 2 'tetrahydropyranyloxy 7a-ethinyl estra-2,5(10) -dien-1 75-01 A solution of 4 parts of 3(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy)- estra-2,5 (10)-dien-17-one in 34 parts of anhydrous toluene and 270 parts of ethyl ether is de-aerated at 0 C. for minutes by the flow of a nitrogen stream and is subsequently saturated with acetylene. 60 parts of a 13% solution of potassium tert-butoxide in tert-butanol are then added, extending the addition over a period of 15 minutes. The resulting mixture is kept for 8 hours at a temperature of 0 C. under the action of a flow of acetylene, and then for 5 days in the freezer at a temperaure of 5 C. The precipitate that has formed is collected by filtration, washed with 20 .parts of anhydrous ethyl ether, dried under vacuum, ground in a mortar with 50 parts of a 12.5% ammonium chloride solution, again collected by filtration, washed with water until neutral, and finally vacuum-dried. Yield: 3.6 parts of 3-(2'-tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17a-ethinyl-estra-2,5 (10)-dien-17B-ol, having M.P. 89-92" C. and [a] =|88 in pyridine.

Example 7. 3- (2 '-tetrahydr0pyranyl0xy -1 7 OL-thl ny l estra-2,5 (1 0 -dien-1 7,8-01

A solution of 1.5 parts of 3 (2'-tetrahyd'ropyranyloxy) -estra-2,5(10)-dien-17-one in 13 parts of toluene and 98 parts of ethyl ether is de-aerated for 20 minutes under a flow of nitrogen, cooled to 0 C., and saturated with acetylene. 17.5 parts of 14% solution of potassium tertamyloxide in tertiary amyl alcohol are then added dropwise over a period of time of 15 minutes. A steady flow of acetylene is kept bubbling for 7 hours through the reaction mixture, which is then stored for 24 hours at a temperature of -5 C. The mixture is then washed three times with 50 parts of a saturated ammonium chloride solution and thereafter with water until neutral. It is then evaporated to dryness and, by recrystallization from aqueous methanol, 1.05 parts of 3-(2'-tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17a-ethinyl-estra 2,5(10) dien 17(3-ol are obtained. The product has M.P. 8991 C. and

11) 87 o in pyridine.

Example 8.3- (2 -te trahydropyranyloxy 7a-viny lestra-2,5 (10) alien-1 7,8-0l

3.82 parts of 3-(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17a-ethinylestra-2,5(10)-dien-17fi-ol are dissolved in parts of pyridine and are hydrogenated under a pressure of 1 atmosphere, in the presence of 3.3 parts of 2% palladiumon-calcium-carbonate as a catalyst. When 10 moles of H have been absorbed, the mixture is filtered and evaporated to dryness. By recrystallization from dilute methanol, 3.75 parts of 3-(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy)-17a-vinylestra-2,5 (10)-dien 175-01 are recovered. The product has M.P. 9092 C., and [a] :-i-l23 (pyridine).

Example 9.----] 7ot-vinyl-estra-5U0) -en-1 7,8-01-3-0ne A solution of 12.96 parts of oxalic acid dihydrate in parts of water is added to 10.9 parts of 3-(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy) l7ot-vinyl-est-ra-5(10)-(lien 176-01 dissolved in 850 parts of ethanol. The solution is kept for 45 minutes at a temperature of 25 C., 2500 parts of Water are then added and the mixture is filtered. 8.5 parts of crude products are thus collected. It has M.P. l44-146 C., but upon recrystallization from ethyl ether, 8.1 parts of 17a-vinyl-estra-5(10)-en-l7B-ol-3-one are recovered. The product has M.P. 148151 C., and [a] =+161 in chloroform.

Example I0.17a-ethinyl-estra-5 (10) -en-17fi-0l-3-one A solution of 12.96 parts of oxalic acid dihydrate in 170 parts of water is added to 10.9 parts of 3-(2-tetrahyd-ropyranyloxy) 17a-ethinyl-estra-2,5 10 -dien-17fi-ol dissolved in 850 parts of ethanol. The solution is kept for 45 minutes at a temeprature of 25 C., 2500 parts of water are then added and the mixture is filtered. 8.5 parts of crude product are thus collected. It has M.P. 164-168 C., but upon recrystallization from ethyl ether, 8.1 parts of 17a-ethinyl-estra-5(10)-en-17fl-ol-3-one are recoverd. The product has M.P. 16-9 170 C. and

]D in chloroform.

What we claim is:

1. 3 (2 tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17cc ethinyl-estra- 2,5 1 O) -dien-17,8-ol.

2. 3 (2' tetrahydropyranyloxy) 17a vinyl estra- 2,5 10) -dien-17B-ol.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1953 COlton 260397.4 10/1954 COlton 260397.5

HENRY A. FRENCH, Assistant Examiner, 

1. 3 - (2'' - TETRAHYDROPYRANYLOXY) - 17A - ETHINYL-ESTRA2,5(10)-DIEN-17B-OL. 